Sectional cabinet

ABSTRACT

A sectional cabinet is formed from a rack functioning as a skeleton of the sectional cabinet and a plurality of side and back panels. The rack is assembled from a plurality of front and rear tubular metal posts and a plurality of shelves connected to the posts. The back panel is assembled to the rack by inserting two lateral edges into two opposite open-side channels provided on two adjacent rear posts. The sectional cabinet can be sideward and upward extended by increasing the numbers of posts and shelves. The back panels and the side panels not only give the fully assembled sectional cabinet an elegant appearance, but also serve as partitions to divide the internal space of the sectional cabinet into a plurality of subspaces for storing different things.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sectional cabinet, and more particularly to a sectional cabinet that includes a rack assembled from a plurality of tubular metal posts and a plurality of shelves, as well as a plurality of back and side panels that not only close the rear and the lateral sides of the rack, but also divide an internal space of the rack into many subspaces for storing things.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most items of furniture for holding or storing things may be divided into two types according to the materials used, namely, wooden cabinet and metal rack. A wooden cabinet typically includes a back wall, two lateral sidewalls, and at least one front door to define a closed internal space. In contrast with the wooden cabinet, a metal rack typically has four open sides. Therefore, the wooden cabinet presents a secure and high-quality appearance that is not found from the metal rack, and is therefore welcome by most consumers. Moreover, the wooden cabinet usually internally includes a plurality of closed and dustproof subspaces to provide higher protection to articles kept in the wooden cabinet. The metal rack is unmatchable with the wooden cabinet from this point of view. However, the wooden cabinet has fixed shape and dimensions once it is produced, and therefore could not be sideward and/or upward extended as desired.

The metal rack is a sectional rack using metal pipes as its vertical posts and metal wire nets as its shelves. Currently, there are metal sectional racks that could be assembled or disassembled without using any hand tool, enabling consumers to easily assemble the rack by themselves. Moreover, the posts of the metal rack are designed to allow sideward and upward extension of the rack as desired, so that the assembled rack is able to meet the shape and size of a space in which the rack is erected for use. However, the metal rack provides only an open space for holding things. Things held on the metal rack are subjected to dust and not well protected. The metal rack does not present a secure and quality appearance, particularly when things are disorderly piled thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a sectional cabinet that includes a rack assembled from metal posts and board-type shelves, allowing the cabinet to be sideward and upward extendable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional cabinet that includes a rack assembled from metal posts and board-type shelves allowing back panels and side panels to assemble to the rack and thereby close a space defined by the rack.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sectional cabinet that includes a rack assembled from metal posts and board-type shelves, as well as back and side panels allowing drawers and doors to assemble to the rack, so that a space defined by the rack may be divided into many open and/or closed subspaces.

To achieve the above and other objects, the sectional cabinet according to the present invention includes a rack assembled from a plurality of tubular metal posts and a plurality of board-type shelves to function like a skeleton of the sectional cabinet, and a plurality of back panels and side panels removably connected to the rack. The tubular metal posts are divided into front posts used at a front side of the rack and rear posts used at a rear side of the rack. The rear post is provided at two lateral sides near a rear end thereof with two corresponding open-side channels, and has a front end formed into a stepped surface with a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion. The front post has a rear end formed into a stepped surface corresponding to that at the front end of the rear post, and therefore has a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion. Each of the back panels has two lateral edges adapted to insert into two opposite open-side channels on two adjacent rear posts to thereby assemble to and close the rear side of the rack. Each of the side panels is disposed between a set of front and rear posts at the same side of the rack to abut on the raised outer portions at the rear end of the front post and the front end of the rear post, so as to assemble to and close a lateral side of the rack. With the shelves, the back panels, and the side panels, the space defined by the rack can be closed and divided into many subspaces to form the sectional cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sectional cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a basic structure of the sectional cabinet of the present invention assembled from two sets of front and rear posts, two side panels, a back panel, and at least one board-type shelf;

FIG. 2-1 is an enlarged view of the circled area A of FIG. 2 showing the structure of the rear post;

FIG. 2-2 is an enlarged view of the circled area B of FIG. 2 showing the structure of the front post;

FIG. 2-3 is an enlarged view of the circled area C of FIG. 2 showing the structure of a packing strip used in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sectional cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4-1 is an enlarged view of the circled area D of FIG. 4 showing the connection of the packing strip to the back panel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another embodiment of the side panel; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a further embodiment of the side panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 that is a perspective view of a sectional cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention, and to FIG. 2 that is an exploded perspective view showing a basic structure of the sectional cabinet of the present invention. As shown, the sectional cabinet of the present invention includes a rack assembled from a plurality of tubular metal posts and at least one board-type shelf 30 to function like a skeleton of the sectional cabinet, and a plurality of back panels 40 and side panels 50 removably connected to the rack. The tubular metal posts are divided into front posts 10 and rear posts 20; and the board-type shelf 30 is removably connected to the front and the rear posts 10, 20. Each of the front and rear posts 10, 20 is provided at two lateral sides with a vertical line of hanger holes 11, 21 each. The hanger holes 11, 21 are designed for various kinds of hangers to hook thereto. The shelf 30 is connected to the posts 10, 20 via hangers 60, which are associated with the shelf 30 via predetermined coupling mechanism (not shown).

FIG. 2-1 is an enlarged view of the circled area A of FIG. 2 showing the structure of the rear post 20, FIG. 2-2 is an enlarged view of the circled area B of FIG. 2 showing the structure of the front post 10.

Please refer to FIGS. 2, 2-1, 2-2, and 3 at the same time. The rear post 20 is provided at two lateral sides near a rear end thereof with two corresponding open-side channels 22, and has a front end 23 formed into a stepped surface with a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion. The front post 10 has a rear end 12 formed into a stepped surface corresponding to the stepped surface at the front end 23 of the rear post 20. That is, the stepped surface at the rear end 12 of the front post 10 has a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion. The back panel 40 has two lateral edges adapted to insert into two opposite open-side channels 22 on two adjacent rear posts 20 to thereby close a rear side of the rack. The side panel 50 is disposed between a set of front and rear posts 10, 20 at the same side of the rack to abut on the raised outer portions at the rear end 12 and the front end 23 of the front and the rear post 10, 20, respectively, so as to close a lateral side of the rack. With the shelves 30, the back panels 40, and the side panels 50 connected to the rack, a cabinet is formed.

Please refer to FIG. 4 that is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3. Each of the side panels 50 is provided near a lower edge with two inward projected pins 51 located at the same height. When the side panel 50 is assembled to the rack, the two pins 51 are pressed against an upper surface of a lower shelf 30 adjacent to the lower edge of the side panel 50 to thereby locate the side panel 50 in place, preventing the side panel 50 from moving downward. Meanwhile, the shelf 30 having two side panels 50 supported thereon has two lateral edges fitly abutted against inner surfaces of the two side panels 50 to thereby prevent the side panels 50 from skidding inward. Similarly, an upper shelf 30 adjacent to upper edges of two side panels 50 also has two lateral edges abutted against the inner surfaces of the two side panels 50. In this manner, the side panels 50 are fixed between two sets of front and rear posts 10, 20.

Since each of the back panels 40 has two lateral edges adapted to insert into two opposite open-side channels 22 on two adjacent rear posts 20, the back panel 40 is prevented from tipping forward or rearward. A packing strip 70 is fitted on a lower edge of the back panel 40, as can be clearly seen from FIGS. 2-3 and 4-1. The packing strip 70 integrally includes a forward protruded front flange 71 extending across a full length of the packing strip 70, and a downward extended rear stopper 72. The front flange 71 has a lower surface fitly bearing against the upper surface of a lower shelf 30 adjacent to the lower edge of the back panel 40 to locate the back panel 40 in place while blocking out light at the joint of the back panel 40 and the lower shelf 30. Similarly, the packing strip 70 may also be fitted on an upper edge of the back panel 40, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The front flange 71 of the upper packing strip 70 bears an upper surface against a lower surface of an upper shelf 30 adjacent to the upper edge of the back panel 40 to block out light at the joint of the back panel 40 and the upper shelf 30. The rear stopper 72 of the packing strip 70 is abutted on the rear edge of the shelf 30 to prevent the packing strip 70 from moving into the rack, so that the back panel 40 is more stably located in place.

In practical forming of the sectional cabinet of the present invention, it is possible to use front and rear posts 10, 20 having the same configuration to reduce the manufacturing cost thereof and make the sectional cabinet more competitive in the market.

Please refer to FIG. 5. The front post 10 may be longitudinally provided at the rear end 12 with a rearward groove 13, and the rear post 20 may be longitudinally provided at the front end 23 with a forward groove 24. To correspond to the front and the rear post 10, 20 having the rearward groove 13 and the forward groove 24, respectively, the side panel 50 is provided at front and rear edges with a longitudinal rib 52 each. The two ribs 52 are adapted to insert into the grooves 13, 24 on the front and rear posts 10, 20, respectively, to thereby assemble the side panel 50 to the rack.

It is also possible to mount a retractable latching member 53 at both the front and the rear edge of the side panel 50, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the side panel 50 is assembled to the rack by engaging the two latching members 53 with the two grooves 13, 24 on the front and the rear post 10, 20.

The rack of the sectional cabinet of the present invention may be sideward extended by increasing the posts 10, 20 and the shelves 30. When increasing the front and rear posts 10, 20, it is always necessary for the raised portions at the rear and the front end of the front and the rear post 10, 20, respectively, to locate at a laterally outer side of the posts 10, 20, so that the side panel 50 disposed between the front and rear posts 10, 20 is prevented from tipping outward.

The shelf 30 is assembled to the posts 10, 20 of the rack via hangers 60 that are hooked to hanger holes 11, 21 provided on two opposite lateral sides of the posts 10, 20, respectively. Since the structure for assembling the shelf 30 to the posts 10, 20 is not a subject matter of the present invention to be claimed, it is not described in details herein. One example of the structure for assembling the shelf 30 to the posts 10, 20 is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/663,501.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the sectional cabinet of the present invention may include one or more doors 61 to close the space defined by the sectional cabinet. Since the structure for assembling the door 61 to the cabinet is not a subject matter of the present invention to be claimed, it is not described in details herein. One example of the structure for assembling the door 61 to the sectional cabinet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,633.

The sectional cabinet of the present invention may also include one or more drawers 62. The drawers 62 are mounted on rails (not shown), which are preferably hooked to the hanger holes 11, 21 on the posts 10, 20. Since the structure for hooking the drawer rails to the posts 10, 20 is not a subject matter of the present invention to be claimed, it is not described in details herein. One example of the structure for hooking the drawer rails to the posts 10, 20 is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/738,392.

The doors 61, shelves 30, side panels 50, and back panels 40 together enable the whole sectional cabinet to have a closed storage space. Every drawer 62 and the shelf 30 above it or a bottom of an upper drawer 62 also define a closed subspace for storing things. The drawers 62 and the doors 61 may be installed on the sectional cabinet at positions completely decided by the user to meet different users' requirements.

The sectional cabinet of the present invention can be easily assembled and disassembled to facilitate storage and transport thereof, and can be sideward and/or upward extended at any time with suitably selected additional components to create desired form or dimensions. The back panels 40 and the side panels 50 give the fully assembled sectional cabinet amore complete appearance, and the shelves 30 and the drawers 62 divide the internal space of the sectional cabinet into different subspaces for storage to largely enhance the function and quality of the sectional cabinet. Moreover, the doors 61 create completely closed subspaces in the sectional cabinet to protect the user's privacy. 

1. A sectional cabinet, comprising a rack assembled from a plurality of tubular metal posts and a plurality of board-type shelves to function like a skeleton of said sectional cabinet, and a plurality of back panels and side panels removably connected to said rack; said tubular metal posts being divided into front posts used at a front side of said rack and rear posts used at a rear side of said rack; said rear post being provided at two lateral sides near a rear end thereof with two corresponding open-side channels, and having a front end formed into a stepped surface with a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion; said front post having a rear end formed into a stepped surface corresponding to said stepped surface at the front end of said rear post, and therefore having a raised laterally outer portion and a lowered laterally inner portion; each of said back panels having two lateral edges adapted to insert into two opposite open-side channels on two adjacent rear posts to thereby assemble to and close the rear side of said rack; and each of said side panels being disposed between a set of said front and rear posts at the same side of said rack to abut on the raised outer portions at said rear end of said front post and said front end of said rear post, so as to assemble to and close a lateral side of said rack.
 2. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back panel has a packing strip fitted on a lower edge thereof, said packing strip integrally including a forward protruded front flange extending across a full length of said packing strip, and said front flange having a lower surface fitly bearing against an upper surface of one said shelf adjacent to the lower edge of said back panel to thereby locate said back panel in place.
 3. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side panel is provided near a lower edge with two inward projected stop elements, said stop elements being pressed against an upper surface of one said shelf adjacent to the lower edge of said side panel to thereby locate said side panel in place.
 4. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 3, wherein said stop elements on said side panel are two spaced pins located near a front and a rear edge of said side panel.
 5. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 3, wherein said shelf adjacent to the lower edge of said side panel has a lateral edge fitly abutted against an inner surface of said side panel to thereby prevent said side panel from skidding inward.
 6. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front post is longitudinally provided at said rear end with a rearward groove, said rear post is longitudinally provided at said front end with a forward groove, and said side panel is provided at front and rear edges with a projection each corresponding to said rearward and said forward groove on said front and said rear post, respectively; and said two projections being adapted to insert into said rearward and said forward grooves to thereby assemble said side panel to said rack.
 7. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein said two projections provided on said side panel are two longitudinal ribs.
 8. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein said two projections provided on said side panel are two spaced retractable latching members.
 9. The sectional cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and said rear posts are provided at two lateral sides with a vertical line of hanger holes each. 